GODDARD, Kan. – Kansas Wesleyan's Developmental Baseball team won the 2024 KCAC Developmental Baseball Tournament held on Wednesday at the Genesis Sports Complex.
 
It took three wins for the Coyotes to earn the title, the first in the two-year existence of the KCAC Developmental Tournament.
 
KWU opened the tournament facing Bethany, and needed extra innings to grab a 2-1 win over the Swedes as KWU plated a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to walk off the game.
 
Four different players had a hit for the Coyotes, with Collin Paterson driving in a run.
 
Brandon Bernier was the winning pitcher for the Coyotes, going three and two-thirds, holding Bethany to a run on two hits while striking out six. Samuel Baggett went four and a third, allowed just one hit and struck out seven.
 
The Coyotes then faced Sterling in the semifinal round of the tournament, winning 12-6 over the Warriors. The game was highlighted by a 7-run bottom of the second inning for the Coyotes. Offensively, Oscar Cavazos went 4-for-4 with 3 RBI, Ellis went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and Ricardo Preciado added two hits as well.
 
Anthony Valladolid was the winning pitcher, going two innings along two runs on three hits with a strikeout. Gary Brock went three innings allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits with five strikeouts. Beau Grant closed it out pitching the sixth holding Sterling to a hit.
 
KWU faced McPherson in the championship game and despite only having five hits the Coyotes came away with a 10-2 win over the Bulldogs.
 
McPherson pitchers issued 14 walks to the Coyotes, including three to Kacen Shreffler, who also drove in three runs in the game.
 
The Coyotes took a 1-0 lead with a run in the second, and added three in the third and five in the fourth before allowing McPherson's two runs in the top of the fifth. KWU added one more run in the bottom of the frame for the 10-2 score.
 
Thomas Pyland got the win for the Coyotes on the hill, pitching one inning of relief of starter Preston Mondy, who went three innings of perfect baseball. KWU used five pitchers in the game.
 
KWU will recognize the Developmental Team for winning the KCAC Development Tournament ahead of Sunday's game with Tabor College starting at 1 p.m. at Dean Evans Stadium.
 
The Developmental Team will conclude its season on Monday at Cloud County CC in Concordia.